Story+2000-06-17+New+York+City,+NY

´´(sings ´Take Me to the River’) That´s right....I wanna go to the riverside....I wanna go to the river of life....and that river of hope....that river of faith....I wanna find that, that river of sanctification and of transformation.....where you can go and you can be changed....if you want to....I wanna find that river of resurrection.... where everybody gets a second chance .....I wanna find that river of sexual healing tonight and companionship....that river of understanding....that leads to that river of joy and of happiness ....that´s where I wanna go tonight.....and what I wanna know is are you ready to go with me ? (cheers) what I need to know is are you ready to go with me ? (cheers)....because I need to go with you ....that´s why I´m here, that´s why we´re here....because you can’t get there by yourself....you can´t get to those things, all those things that make life meaningful, by yourself....no Sir....no Sir.... that´s why tonight I wanna throw a rock and roll baptism....a rock and roll exorcism ....and a rock and roll bar mitzvah....we´re gonna do it all tonight.....and I wanna be washed in those waters and I wanna be set free again....but once I stood, I stood one evening, as a young man, before a dark grove of trees and like a little child I was frightened to pass through those trees.....even though I knew on the other side was the river of life....cold beer at a reasonable price, no more fucking cellphones !....but still I found myself paralyzed till a gypsy woman called forward and she said ´Son, what you need is you need help....you need somebody to walk with you through those trees....what´s your line ?´ and I told her what I did and she said ´Well, then what you need, what you need is a band´....that´s why tonight here in Madison Square Garden (?) I wanna introduce, on the piano, Secretary of intelligence, (?) piano pounder, Professor Roy Bittan.....on the guitar, the Minister of faith and friendship, keeper of all that is righteous on E Street and star of the ´Sopranos´-television show....Little Steven Van Zandt....stand with me, Brother....on the bass guitar, the foundation of the E Street nation, Mr.Garry W.Tallent....on the drums, the man that brings the power night after night after night, the Mighty, Mighty, Mighty, Mighty, Mighty star of Late Night Television, Mighty Max.....a dancing fool....and on the guitar, Secretary of heart and of spirit, the Godfather of the guitar, the great Nils Lofgren.....stand with me, Brother, at the riverside ....on the Hammond B-3 organ and accordion, Brother Dan Federici....I said brunettes are fine now and blondes are fun but when it comes to getting a dirty job done, it takes a (crowd : ´Red headed woman´) I´m looking for my baby (crowd : ´Red headed woman´) I´ve got to find my girl now (crowd : ´Red headed woman´) searching for my sweet thing (crowd : ´Red headed woman´)(Patti sings ´Rumble Doll´) the First Lady of love, on the guitar and vocals, Miss Patti Scialfa....thank you, baby....and now let the healing begin ! (chuckles) and now last but not least....I´m talking about the Minister of soul, Secretary of brotherhood, next senator from the state of New York City.... in this corner, weighing in at heavier than you ....you wish you could be like him but you can´t, New York City, are you ready to rumble ? ....do I have to say his name ? ....do I have to say his name ?....say who ? ...say who ?....say who ?....say who ?.... say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....”
 * 17.06.00 New York City, NY, middle of ´Tenth Avenue Freeze Out´**

´´Alright....here´s something we´ve never played before....in our long and industrially illustrious careers....I´m not sure we can play it now but we´re gonna try ....alright, boys....”
 * 17.06.00 New York City, NY, intro to ´The E Street Shuffle´**

´´Thanks....I wanna mention tonight we´ve got the folks from City Harvest with us, foodbank here in New York City that many, many New Yorkers depend on to meet their daily needs, many, many people that the economy is not reaching....they depend on City Harvest, City Harvest is out there helping your neighbors, the struggling New Yorkers, so that no child need to go to bed hungry at night....when you see ´em out in the lobby, please stop by and give ´em a little support, they could use your time and uh....this is for the folks from City Harvest....”
 * 17.06.00 New York City, NY, intro to ´Born in the U.S.A´**

´´New York City !....New York City !...but everywhere I´ve gone, I´ve seen people lost in confusion....I´ve seen people lost in the wilderness.....I´ve seen people lost on the subways in loneliness....I´ve seen people lost in envy over the Jersey Devils winning the Stanley Cup .... I´ve seen people lost at the Statue of Liberty which is actually in New Jersey....I´ve seen people lost in the New York Giants memorabilia, who, come to think of it, actually play in New Jersey....should be the New Jersey Giants, baby...I show you some controversy....I´ve seen people lost in confusion.... but tonight we´re here on a search-and-rescue mission, we´re here on a search-and-rescue mission, if you´ve been downhearted, disspirited, disgusted, dispossessed, downsized, analyzed, stigmatized, fractionalised, retropsychedelized.... controversialised....I´m here tonight....I´m here tonight....I´m here tonight....I´m here tonight .....I´m here tonight....I´m here tonight....I´m here tonight....I´m here tonight, I wanna re-educate you, resuscitate you, regenerate you, reconfiscate you, reindoctrinate you, recombobulate you, re, re, resexualate you ....rededicate you, reliberate you with the power and the glory, with the promise, with the mystery, with the majesty....with the ministry of rock and roll !....that´s right....that´s right.... with the ministry of rock and roll !....but unlike my competitors, I shall not, I will not you life everlasting ....but I can promise you life right now ! ....and all you gotta do is raise your hand and say ´I´....”‘
 * 17.06.00 New York City, NY, middle of ´Light of Day´**

//Compiled by : Johanna Pirttijärvi//